Syringe



A. E. SMITH June 25, 1929.

SYRINGE Filed oct. 26, 1927 INVENTOR. l0 ARTHUR E. SMITH ATTORNEY.

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Patented June 25, 1929.

Ultll'lED STATES ARTHUR E. SMTH, OF LOS ANGELES, UALIFRNIA.

SYRINGE.

Application filed October 26, 192'?. Serial` No. 228,916.

This invention relates to improvements in hypotflermie syringes.

'lhe general object ot this invention is to provi dean improved syringewherein the substance to be ejected is contained in a cartridgelilteampule which is provided with a slidable stopper and wherein means isprovided ior automaticallycorrectly positioning' an anipule in thesyringe when the operating member oi the syringe is arranged in anoperative position, Iand wherein in the process of injecting', thevarious parts of the syringe coact to move the stopper relative to theampule to torce out 'the contents oi the ampule.

Another object of this invention is to provide a syringe having anejecting plunger which is adapted to enter a constricted portion oi anampule contained therein with means for automatically and correctly positioning the ampule before the plunger enters the eonstricted portion otthe ampule.

An additional object oi my invention is to provide a novel means forcelitering an ampulc in a syringe.

Other objects of the invention will be apparent from the `following`description taken in connection with the accompanying draw ings wherein:

Fig. 1 is a central longitudinal section thi-(nigh my improved syringeshowing an ampule therein and showing` the ecting plunger about to enterthe ampule.

Fig. 2 is a view similar to Fig. 1 showing the positions of the variouselements after the contents oi' the ampule has been ejected.

Fig. 3 is a transverse section ot the syringe taken on line l-3 of Fig.1.

Fig. Llis a il'fragu'ientary longitudinal. section ot the syringeoperating member showing` a moditied form ot' ampule positioning means.

Fig. 5 a transverse sect-ion taken on line 5-5 oil' Fig. 4i. l

Fig. G is a view similar to Fig. 4 showing another modilied form ofampule positioningr means.

Fig. 7 is a view similar to Fig. i showing still another modified termot ampule positioning means and Fig'. 8 is a section taken on line 8 8of Fig. 7. Y

Referringr to `the drawings by reference characters I have indicated ahypodermic syringe embodying the features of lny inven tion generally at10. This syringe comprises hollow body portion or 11 having screwthreads 12 provided at one end and having; its other end beveled as at13. Adjacent one end of the barrel 11 a cross bar 14 is provided and inthe barrel 11 equally spaced elongated slots 15 are provided.

rllhe end ot' the syringe opposite the cross bar 1li: is provided with atip 1G which is in threaded engagement with the threads 12 oi thebarrel. This tip 1G has a reduced end 17 and is provided with a taperedrecess 18 which communicates with an aperture 19 which extends throughthe reduced end 17. A hypodermic needle 20 is adapted to be positionedou the reduced end 17 of the tip 16 and the end 17 may be eitherthreaded or tapered as shown.

An operating member indicated generally at is adapted to be slidablymounted within the barrel 11. This operating; member includeel a barrel23 having an elongated aperture 24rprovided in one side thereof and anend member 25 which includes a thumb piece 26. An ejeeting` plunger 27is detachably secured to the end member 25 and includes an enlarged head28 and areduced tip 29.

Surrounding the plunger 27 and within the barrel 23 I provide an ampulepositioning` member 30. This positioning` member 30 is provided with aconical recess 32 and a central stem 33 which surrounds the plunger 27and may be slightly spaced therefrom. A plurality oit spring` iing'ers34 are provided in the peripheral wall of the positioning member and areadapted to trictionally engage the inner wall ol the barrel 23 of theoperating member.

ne type oit ampule such as may he used in connection with my improvedsyringe is in dicated generally at 36. This ampule as shown ispreferably made ot glass and. comprises a tubular body 37 having aconstricted end 38 which is normally closed but made open when thealnpule is made ready for use by breaking away a portion of the ampule,The opposite end oiE the ampule is also constricted as at 39 and likethe end 38 is normally closed but is made open by breaking' away aportion of the ampule before it is inserted in the syringe'. Thisconstricted end 39 is provided with a resilient collar i0 which ispreferably made of a goed grade of rubber.

A. stopper 41 is normally positioned in the ampule adjacent theconstricted end 38 and is movable within the ampule to act as a pistonto expel the contents of the ampule out thro'lfigrh the constricted end39. The stopper llO 41 is preferably made of a goed grade of rubber andis provided with a metal washer 42 having a central aperturetherethrough of approximately the same size as the diameter of theplunger tip 29. The stopper 4i is also shown as provided with anaperture 44 of approximately the same size as the size of the aperturein the washer.

In using my improved syringe 10 the operating member 22 is removed fromthe syringe barrel 11 and the positioning member 30 moved to the openendof the operating member to the position shown in Fig. 1. An ampule 36,having been previously made ready for use, is then inserted into thebarrel 11 so that the resilient collar 40 is positioned in the tape-redrecess 18 of the tip 16 as shown. The operating member 22 is thenreplaced in the syringe barrel 11 and moved towards the tip 16.

As the operating member is moved the positioning member moves with itdue to engagement of the spring fingers until it engages the ampule asshown in Fig. 1. As the positioning member engages the ampule itcorrectly'centers the ampule relative to the ejecting plungerv 27 sothat upon further movement of the operating member the plunger head 28will pass through the opening in the constricted end 38 and the reducedtip 29 will be positioned in the aperture of the washer 42 when the head28 abuts the washer.

Upon a further movement of the operating member towards the tip 16 theejeeting plunger 27 will cause the stopper 41 to move and act as apiston to expel the contents of the ampule out through the constrictedend 39 and into the hypodermic needle 20.

All during the ejecting movement of the operating member 22 thefric-tional engagement of the positioning member 30 therewith will causea resilient pressure to be exerted upon the ampule. Even should theejecting movement of the operating member cease for a while thepositioning' member would exert a slightV pressure upon the ampule andthus retain a iiuid tight seal between the collar 40 and t-he taperedrecess 1S of the syringe tip 16. The pressure exerted upon the ampule bythe positioning member is only removed when the operatingmember vismoved away from the tip 16.

After the contents of the ampuleihave been ejected as shown in Fig. 2the operating member 22 and the ampule are removed from the syringe, thepositioning member 3() moved to the open end of the operating member,and the syringe is then ready for use again.

In Figs. 4 and 5 I have shown the operating member 22 provided with amodified form of positioning member indicated generally at 45. Thispositioning member includes a conical recess 46 and an externally screwthreaded stem 47 which surrounds the ejecting plunger 27 and is spacedtherefrom. The

peripheral wall of this positioning member is provided with a pluralityof slits as lshown :u 48 and is adapted to be internally engaged Iiy acoiled spring 49. A cap 50 provided with internal screw threads to matchthe threads on the stem 47 is adapted to move within the. positioningmember to compress the Ispring to cause the spring to expand in diameteraml thus expand the peripheral wall of the positioning member tofrictionally engage the inner wall of the barrel 23 of the operatingmember.

In Fig. (i I have shown the operatingr member 22 provided with anothermodilied form of positioning member indicated generally at 55. Thispositioning member includes a conically recessed portion 56 aml anexternally screw threaded stem 57 which surrounds the ejecting plunger27 and is spaced therefrom. The peripheral wall olf this positioningmember is preferably interl'ially tapered from the bottom to the topoutward and is provided with a plurality of slits 58.

A plug 59 having a hub (it) thereon provided with internal screw threadsto match the threads on the stem 57, is adapted to move within theperipheral wall of the positioning member. The outer face of theperipheral wall of the plug 59 is preferably tapered to correspond tothe taper of the inner face of peripheral wall of the positioningmember. then the plug 59 is moved toward the recessed end ofthepositioning member the taper on the plug causes the peripheral wall ofthe positioning member to expand and frictionally engage the inner faceof the bai'- rel 23 of the operating member 22.

In Fig. 7 I have shown the operating member 22 provided with anothermodified torni .of positioning member indicated at (i5. This positioningmember includes a conical recess 66 and a stem 67 which surrounds theejecting plunger 27 and is spaced therefrom. 'l`he outer perimeter ofthe peripheral wall (i8 of this positioning member is slightly less thanthe internal perimeter ot the operating member barrel but it isflattened out of a true c vlindri al shape as clearly shown in Fig. 8.'I`he wall 68 is resilient so that frictional engagement between thebarrel 23 of the operating member and the positioning member isobtained.

From the foregoing description it will be apparent that I have providedan improved syringe having novel ampule positioning means providedtherein and one which is of simple construction and highly ctlieient inuse.

Having thus described my invention. I claim:

1. In a syringe adapted to receive an ampule, a barrel, a tubularoperating member adapted to move longitudinally in said barrel, aplunger associated with said operating member and movable therewith, anampule Sli lili

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positioning member disposed within said operating member, saidpositioning member being .made of a resilientmetal and including annularperipheral side walls anda conically shaped bottom wall, said conicalbottom wall merging into a stem surrounding said plung er and the innerside walls of'said stem being spaced from said plunger, said peripheralside walls being split for part of their length to form a plurality ofspring fingers, said vlingers being 'free on three sides thereof fromsaid side walls and being formed to exert outward pressure against theinner wall of said operating member.

v11. In a syringe adapted to receive an ampule, a barrel, a tubularoperating member adapted to move longitudinally in said barrel, aplunger associated with said operating member and movable therewith, ana-mpule positioning member disposed within said operating member, saidpositioning member belng made or resilient met-al and including annularperipheral side walls and a eonically shaped bottom wall, said conicalbottom wall merging into a stem adapted ki surround said plunger and thcinner side walls of said stem being spaced from said plunger7 the innerface of said peripheral side wallsl being tapered outwardly from thebottom up and being split the major portion of their length to provide aI )lurality o'f resilient sections, said stem being externally threaded,an expanding member movable within said positioning member side walls,said expanding member including a hub threaded to engage the threads oi"said stein and said expanding member when moved towards said bottombeing adapted to expand said peripheral wall of said positioning member(o cause said wall to frictionally engage the inner face of saidoperai-mg member.

In testimony whereof, I hereunto allix my signature.

ARTHUR E. SMITH.

